Combined step and extension ladder



(No Model.)

J. B. MGSHERER. COMBINED sT P AND EXTENSION LADDER.

No. 542,308. Patented July '9', 189-5.

W/T/VLFSSZS. I

UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE.

JEROME B MOSHERER, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

COMBINED STEP AND EXTENSION LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,308, dated July 9,1895.

application filed March 30, 1895. Serial No. 543,797- (No model.) 7

To aZZ whom it mayconcer n:

.Be it known that I, JEROME B. MCSHERER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in a Gombined Step andExtension Ladder; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to .which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,- which form partof this specification.

any desired ordinary height required, there being an inclined .groove inthe stationary section and a spring-stop in the extensible section toautomatically hold it at any de sired point; and to this end myinvention consists in the construction and combination of partshereinafter fully described, and more particularly pointed out in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l represents an elevation showing theinner face of one side of the ladder when used as a stepladder, therounds being in section.

Fig. 2 is a front view, partly in section, of a portion of the ladder,showing the two sections folded together. Fig. 3 is a similar view asFig. 2 of a portion of the ladder when extended. Fig. a is. a top viewof one side of the ladder when used as a step-ladder, showing the hingeand strap that hold the parts together.

Fig. 5 is a view of an elevation of one side of the outer section of theladder. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one side of the inner section of theladder. Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line as w of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 isa view of a longitudinal section of Fig. 5 on the line y y, and Fig. 9is a detached detail View showing that part of the hinge secured to theupper end of the extension-section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in eachfigure'of the drawings.

A represents the outer section of the combined ladder, andB the innersection, which is adapted to be extended upon the outer one. The tops ofthe outer section A on the sides a are provided with recesses c,toreceive pins d, projecting from the sides (1 of the inner section.These pins (1 arefinade integral with small plates D, the pinsprojecting from one end thereof, and the plates let into the sides ofthe section flush with its surface, as shown inFig. 3. Astrap O issecurely bolted to the topof the outer section A, which extends aroundthe upper end of the section and partially around the inner section B,leaving an open space in'the strap on the side I) of the inner section.This strap 0 holds the inner section in engagement with the side a ofthe outer section and forms a guide through which the inner section Bslides when the ladder is being extended. The ends of the strap 0 areseparated or left apart to form a space e for the passage of the roundsEof the inner section when it is being extended on the outer section ofthe ladder. edges of the section B are notched at their upper end, asindicated at f, to form seats .in which the straps 0 rest when the twosections are spread apart at their lower endsto form a step-ladder, asclearly shown in Fig. 1. It is thus clearly seen that the two sectionsof the ladder are detachably hinged together at their upper ends, andthat the strap 0 holds the hinged parts in proper relation to each otherand also limits the distance to which the lower ends of the sections maybe spread apart.

The lower round G of the inner section B isatubular in form, beingpreferably composed of a section of iron pipe,'and extends a shortdistance beyond the outer faces of the sides I) of the section B, asshown in Fig. 2. This tubular round G is provided with an elongated slotg, usually in its lower side, through which project finger-pieces h,which form a part of the sliding rods H inserted in the tubular round.Between the inner and opposing ends of these rods there is placed aspring 1', the normal tendency of which is to force the rods outwardlyfrom each other.

On the inner faces a. of the outer sectionA there are formedlongitudinal grooves k, of sufficient width to receive the projectingends of the tubular round G and in which they can slide up and down, andin the rear walls of these grooves it there is formed a series of Therear extended to the desired height.

narrower grooves Z, which are adapted to receive the projecting ends ofthe sliding rods H and in which they can slide up and down. Thesegrooves l gradually decrease in depth from their lower to their upperends and preferably correspond in length to the distance between therounds, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8. The grooves at their lower endsare continued at a right angle to the rear edges of the sides a, asindicated at m, and these grooves m are of the same depth as the grooves70., The object of the grooves in is to permit the withdrawal of theends of the tubular round G from the outer section Awhen it is desiredto spread the lower ends of the sections, the ends of the rods H beingwith drawn from the grooves Z by means of the the finger-pieces h. Vhenthe ladder is folded together or closed, as shownin Fig. 2, the ends ofthe rods II will restin the grooves land hold the sections together attheir lower ends.

When it is desired to extend the ladder, the inner section B can beeasily pushed upward, as the ends of the rods II will slide' up theinclined faces of the grooves Z, forcing the rods inwardly against thespring 1' until the ends of the rods reach the shoulders '21 at thelower end of the inclined grooves, when the spring will again force themoutwardly into the succeeding grooves Z, and thus continue in the samemanner until the ladder is To lower the section '13, the end of the rodsH must be withdrawn from the grooves lby means of the finger-pieces h,when the section will slide downwardly until the rods H are released,when the spring g will throw them outwardly and their ends will becaught upon the next shoulder at below, formed in the inclined groovesZ. The strap 0 form guides through which the rear section B slides, andtogether with the tubular round G within the grooves 7.; securely holdthe two sections together in their extended position.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is I 1. The combination in a ladder,of an outer section having recesses formed and open in the upper ends ofits sides, an inner section having pins projecting from its sides intosaid recesses, and straps secured to the sides of the outer section andembracing the sides of the inner section, the sides of the inner sectionhaving notches forming seats for the straps, and the straps having theirends separated to form a passage for the rounds of the inner sectionwhen the latter is extended, substantially as and for the purposesetforth.

2. The combination in a ladder of an outer section having longitudinalgrooves in its sides, and a series of inclined grooves in the rear wallsof the longitudinal grooves, an inner extensible section havinga tubularround projecting at each end into the said longitudinal groove, springactuated rods in the tubular round projecting into the inclined grooves,and straps secured to the outersection and forming guides for the innerextensible section, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

I JEROME B. MesuERnR."

Witnesses:

R, MoTT, FRANK M. Hnwmos.

